Transnational life histories: Mexican origin elderly in southwest Detroit, Michiga

Qualitative life history interviews with elderly Mexican origin immigrants of Detroit, are used to address the question: are transnational families, identity, and behavior a new phenomenon. Most of the writing on transnationalism identifies it as a post-1965 process that allows immigrants to remain active in both countries of origin and settlement. Transnationalism has also been associated with the post-1965 expansion of Mexican communities in the U.S. Foner (1997) argues that many of the activities that scholars have recently identified as transnational have taken place for over 100 years. If Foner's assertions are correct, then the implications of contemporary understanding and related assumptions about Mexican immigrant communities throughout the U.S. must be revised. The study finds informants across the life course, continue to maintain significant social, familial, economic, and identity links, with people and communities of Mexico and Detroit. Ties are used both to access and render support. The study concludes that processes of immigrant community adaptation and formation, including those to long-established populations, are more complex and transnational in form than generally assumed in mainstream social science.;Keywords: immigration, transnational, Mexican.